Diagramming Can Be Tricky Stuff!

There are so many different ways to diagram for reports and manuals when it comes to visually creating an explanation of how something is done in both words and pictures. There also seems to be a big difference between two types of diagrams: Systems and Processes.

Systems Diagrams tend to show how something is happening within an organization or situation. It is here that one will find computer, people, and other pictorial icons. The page can be very pretty and fun to look at, but it can also start to look very busy. Under a Systems Diagram I outline the steps shown in the picture. I have found that it is easier for the reader to follow the steps below if they are written out in Excel instead of Word. In Excel the description can be crisper and more contained, especially if you wrap the cells and outline each box. This helps the reader to be able to follow the chart more easily.

Process Diagrams tend to show how an idea or paper is "processed" by a system. Here instead of icons one will find boxes, triangles, diamonds, and other geometrical shapes which each represent something different in a process such as a decision or a step. The Process Diagram is necessary in illustrating the idea behind the System Diagram. Both Diagrams can be used in conjunction for a manual, but personally I think the Systems Diagram is the most fun to create!!